X Men: Unpredictable Evils
by Sapphire-Raindrop
Summary: X-Men: First Class:: Erik sent the nuclear missiles toward the naval ships, and Charles knew that the mutant had to be stopped. Charles has one last weapon in his arsenal, his final attempt to save his best friend from giving in to the darkness.
1. Chapter 1: Forgotten Wisdom

Hey everyone!

First off, before you read this, **IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE "_X-MEN: FIRST CLASS_", PLEASE DON'T READ ANY FURTHER!**

This story has spoilers (and the way I write assumes that you know who characters are), so if you read, read at your own risk, and don't say I didn't warn you!

Also, I'm leaving tomorrow (I've got a job in Colorado that'll keep me from my computer until early August) so I just wanted to get this little tidbit out to give you guys a taste of what the story'll be like.

If you like it, and want more, or have some constructive critisisms...

_**PLEASE REVIEW**_!

Thanks, and I hope to be back to updating in August!

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><p><strong>X-Men: Unpredictable Evils <strong>

_a X-Men: First Class fanfic by: _

Sapphire-Raindrop

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><p>Chapter 1: Forgotten Wisdom<p>

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><p>Charles watched in horror as Erik – a cool and cruel Erik, not the man Charles knew and cared for – lifted his arms, his eyes narrowing to nudge the missiles back toward the waiting naval ships. Their white and grey bodies were like birds, soaring effortlessly across the sky. One might say that it looked rather impressive, to see so many missiles of different size arcing gracefully across the heavens. But all Charles saw was the destructive power locked within the metal bodies; all he felt were the confused and terrified minds of the innocent men aboard the missiles' targets.<p>

"Erik, stop them! Stop them now!" Charles shrieked, his blue eyes snapping to his best friend. Erik's eyes were narrowed and greedy, watching his masterpiece with pleasure. He didn't respond to Charles's plea, and the telepath's horrified blue eyes locked back onto the missiles. The young man gritted his teeth as the thoughts came pouring in, and although the languages were different, the underlying emotion of desperation and fear were the same.

_How are the missiles…oh shit! – __Что, черт возьми__?_ – _Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven – __О пожалуйста Бог__, __ой__, пожалуйста, пожалуйста, пожалуйста_ –

Charles felt the stabbing pain as even more thoughts gushed into his brain, and with a scream of desperate anguish he threw himself at the metal-wielding mutant. The two bodies collided jarringly, and Erik fell heavily, a gust of air leaving both of them as they hit the rocky sand that made up the beach. Coughing from the sand, Charles struggled to keep a hold on Erik, ignoring the fact that his friend was twisting his arm at a painful angle.

"Stop it, Erik!" Charles practically sobbed, his emotions running high from his own fear and the overwhelming hysteria of the terrified soldiers aboard the ships.

"Don't make me hurt you, Charles!" Erik snarled roughly, and when Charles refused to budge, sent his fist smashing into Charles's face, sending the young man's head snapping back with such force that he saw stars. The yells of the other mutants behind them faded into the background and Charles's eyes squeezed tightly as his vision wavered. Erik righted himself, and the missiles resumed their unwavering flight toward the naval fleet.

The pain was sharp and intense, and yet something kept Charles fighting, and Erik stumbled as Charles tackled him, sending a punch to Erik's jaw as he did so. The feeling of using physical violence to communicate with Erik after all they had been through was strangely exhilarating to the telepath – who had spent a majority of his life quietly observing the world through people's minds, safe in the background.

Charles had never been forced to fight for something he wanted, because information was something that he could just swipe from an unaware mind. He had money – thanks to a rather large and loveless inheritance left by his parents when they died in that fateful car crash – he had moderately good looks, so getting girls wasn't impossible. The telepath knew that no matter how difficult he and Raven's relationship may be at times, he had a steady friend and confidant in her, so there was no risk of anything going wrong in _that _part of his life.

And now, quite suddenly, Charles was being forced to fight for something precious to him. Forced to give every single ounce of power and hope into avoiding Erik's fall from moral goodness. He _needed _Erik, his friendship had opened so many windows in his former way of observing the world, and he believed that he had a similar impact on Erik. They balanced each other out, they could bring change to the world.

When looking for that little memory of serenity earlier that month – in order to help Erik with his metal manipulation – Charles had also come upon another memory. By the dimness of it, he suspected that Erik had forgotten that it even existed. Charles hadn't mentioned it to Erik, seeing as it was unrelated and it seemed much too cruel to have Erik relive it. But now, he saw the memory as a final stand, a final stab to try and convince Erik of the good in him and in mankind.

But first, Charles had to remove that telepathy-blocking helmet.

Erik's fist suddenly appeared before his eyes and Charles grunted as another powerful blow was delivered to his cheek, resulting in raw coppery blood welling up in his mouth. Erik rose once more, and his face was stony as the few remaining missiles – most of them had veered toward the ocean in those moments in which Charles forced Erik focus away from directing the weapons.

Charles heard dimly the yells of Moira, and heard several gunshots. The sound made him realize that Erik was effectively distracted. The telepath jumped to his feet, and jumped at Erik, feeling a blindingly painful pain imbed itself into his hip as he did so. A stray bullet. As he fell, Charles managed to pull the metal helmet from Erik's head, and without further ado invaded the metal manipulator's mind, forcing him to remain still.

_Please, Erik. Listen to me, _Charles soothed with his mind, pushing aside his own pain. The telepath recoiled at the angry boil of Erik's thoughts. They were erratic and violent, and Charles had trouble keeping the man motionless.

_Get the hell _out _of my head! _

Charles sighed – both mentally and physically – and went on. _There is good in you, Erik._

_That has–_

But Charles gave him no time to argue, instead reaching into Erik's mind and yanking forward the memory.

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><p><em> Ten-year-old Erik sat in the dark corner with his mother and father, all of them shivering as they stared around at all of the other occupants of the small apartment. The Nazis had ordered them into these uncomfortable living quarters earlier that week, and Erik didn't like the place, not one bit. He missed the sweet smell of lavender and mint – both grew in his mother's vegetable garden – that always pervaded the air in their home. He missed riding on his bicycle to and from school, and he missed going to the ice-cream parlor with his friends. <em>

_Erik's fingers tugged at the Star of David that was clumsily sewn in plain sight on his jacket, and he looked up at his parents, who were quietly talking to each other in the dim light. His mother's eyes were shiny and frightened in the darkness, and his father held her close, his own expression only slightly more composed than hers. Erik scowled, and moved closer to his mother, looking up into her thin face. _

"_Mama, why are we here?" _

_Erik's father responded, in a hoarse whisper. "Because the Nazis believe that we of Jewish heritage are…bad people." _

_Erik frowned. "But isn't that wrong? I mean, _we're _not bad, right?" _

_His father nodded. "No, we're not bad, Erik. But the Nazis seem to think so. They view us as less than human, and there have been several cases in which some of our people have been killed for merely making eye contact with a soldier. They will–" _

_Eric's eyes widened as he spoke, and continued to widen until Erik's mother sharply interrupted. "Bartek! Enough!" _

_Erik's father turned to his wife with a sad smile on his face. "Halina, he will learn of the Nazi cruelty soon enough, it is shameful to try and shield him from it!" The young boy looked from his father to his mother, unsure of whom to side with. He hated fighting, but it didn't seem like they were fighting, not this time anyway. _

_His mother put her arms around little Erik, and the boy let his worries lessen slightly as he felt her hands rub slowly on the back of his neck, a familiar gesture that reminded the boy of happier days spent listening to stories by a crackling fire. _

"_There will always be evil in the world, my Erik. Sometimes, it will seem as if every human being is against you, sometimes it will seem as if there is nothing left to hope for. But in a world where there is unspeakable evil, there is also remarkable kindness. God put every one of us here for a reason. It is our responsibility to discover that reason, and come to terms with it. No matter what happens, my love, do not give in to the evil. For your light will shine the way for others who feel just as alone and afraid. Do you understand?" _

_Erik nodded, his eyes closing as he leaned into his mother's comforting embrace. _

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><p>With a yell, Charles pulled out of Erik's mind, the pain erupting in his hip as he tried to put weight on his leg, sending gray spots before his eyes. The sand rose to meet him, and he gripped the grainy substance as the fire burned under his skin. There was so much pain, and a keen filled the air as he struggled to control the agony raging in his body.<p>

Suddenly the bullet was being pulled out rather tenderly, and two strong arms were supporting him, propping up his head. Charles's eyes snapped open to meet two gray-blue ones. Erik bent his head over Charles's body, his voice soft and weak as tears ran down his face.

"I didn't remember…I _couldn't _remember…"

Charles's heart softened as he reached up to place a hand on his friend's shoulder, blinking rapidly to dispel his own rising tears. "I know, Erik. I know."

Erik's eyes lifted to gaze at the collection of mutants that, until this moment, had seemed to be apart of another world. Now, as the fight subsided, the two were sucked back into reality, back into the noisy, painful senses that had been dulled by their reckless wrestling. Charles let his eyes flicker to the group, and a choked feeling rose as a result. His friends, his fighters, were so young, and yet they were standing tall and proud as if they hadn't just saved the world from nuclear destruction.

Raven and Hank were standing close together, watching the two combating mutants with freakishly similar expressions of nervous anxiety, their golden eyes darting to meet the other's gaze before moving back to their original focus. Alex was supporting Sean, both looking battered and tired, but still determined. Angel and Azazel were standing somewhat off to the side beside an unconscious Riptide, looking uneasy and out of place. It seemed that Shaw had had more of an influence on their views than Charles had suspected. Moira was staring at Charles with her gun still raised, her pretty brown eyes so wide that Charles wanted to go comfort her and kiss her worry away.

But Charles knew that that particular desire would never – could never – be satisfied. He and Moira had no chance for romance, because he couldn't ask her to leave the life she had always known for a more mysterious and dangerous one. No matter how selfish Charles may be, he knew that he wasn't _that _selfish. He wasn't that cruel.

Erik was still crying, and Charles knew that he had to speak.

"Erik," he whispered, and Erik looked up at the sound of his name. "I know that it may seem impossible – the idea that humans will one day accept us. I've had my doubts too, but I refuse to believe that mankind is inferior. It's like your mother said; God has a reason for the existence of human beings, and that includes us mutants. We mutants have found our purpose: to help mankind understand that that which they do not understand is not indefinitely evil. I need to help the rest of the world find their purpose. But I can't do it alone. Please, Erik, you're my best friend. Help me, help me find the other mutants and teach them. The mutants out there need you, they need _us_."

Erik's eyes were wide, and Charles didn't dare enter his mind, wanting to let the man make his own decision. He watched the emotions flicker across Erik's face, and the metal-manipulator's head jerked in Moira's direction. Moira rushed over, and Charles never let his eyes leave Erik's. The woman accidentally bumped Charles's hip, and a yelp left him as his vision faded into whiteness.

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><p>When Charles opened his eyes, he was in a hospital room, staring up at the pale green tile ceiling and blinking as his eyes adjusted to the bright artificial lights. The pain in his hip was gone, and he reached down automatically to feel the thick bandages wrapped around his waist.<p>

"Don't worry, there's no permanent damage," a familiar voice drawled from his right, and Charles turned, almost afraid to see who it was that had spoken. Blue eyes met blue-gray ones, and Erik stood with a small smile. "Surprised to see me, friend?"

Charles could do nothing more than nod. Erik sighed, leaning against the bedpost, his powerful arms crossing as he scowled at the floor. His face was clean-shaven and free of grime, and his clothes had been changed since the battle at the beach. _How long have I been unconscious?_ Charles wondered, and Erik finally looked back up at the telepath.

"It's what my mother would have wanted. She was always so accepting of everyone…despite their peculiarities…" his voice trailed off, emotion making it impossible to continue. Charles nodded, knowing exactly what Erik was feeling. He had felt it and seen it, within Erik's memories, and the experience had nearly broken Charles's heart. The telepath wished that he was able to move, and settled for smiling at Erik instead.

"Thank you, Erik."

Erik shrugged, and nodded to the doorway, where Charles could sense several familiar mind signatures bustling anxiously. "The rest of them are anxiously awaiting to see if their oh-so-powerful leader is awake; are you ready?"

Charles laughed quietly, and nodded. He couldn't help but smile as Erik poked his head out of the door, saying something in a low voice before coming back inside and retreating back into the chair beside Charles's hospital bed. In a barrage of voices and more feminine shrieks, the entire mutant team burst into the room, Moira close behind.

The telepath noticed with a small pang of guilt that Raven had resorted to hiding her appearance once more, adopting her favorite blonde-haired appearance. He had been so cruel, to make a fuss about whether she looked "normal" in her blue skin or in her false appearances. Erik was right: she was beautiful because she was _Raven_, and the beauty was present in her blue form as prominently as it was in her blonde one. Raven caught Charles staring, because she immediately smiled wickedly, shifting back into her natural form.

"It's just to keep the nurses from asking questions. So you all better get used to this, cuz I don't plan to be "normal" unless necessary," she said loudly, and her golden eyes smiled at Charles happily.

Hank was wearing a thick leather jacket, hood up to cover his furry head, along with big gloves. He looked uncomfortable in the hospital room, and relaxed only slightly when Raven took his hand. Erik looked at the two with a strange expression, but the expression relaxed when Charles looked over at him inquisitively.

"Azazel and the wind-user disappeared after you fell unconscious, and that Angel girl is hoping to rejoin our ranks. I have her back at the facility, you can talk to her once you're able to leave the hospital," Erik murmured, and Charles nodded, pursing his lips as he mused over the new information.

Charles didn't really believe that Azazel and Riptide would be a real threat – their drive lay mostly with Shaw, and with their leader gone, there was nothing to stand on. They had no way of executing their plan with Shaw gone. He pushed aside the idea of Angel, too tired to contemplate her loyalty at present.

Alex and Sean stood on either side of Hank and Raven. Alex holding a cup of coffee, while Sean munched on a frosted cinnamon roll. Raven caught sight of the gooey treat, and her eyes narrowed in appreciation. Slyly, her hand reached over to snag a piece, but Sean was too quick for her.

"I waited thirty minutes in that stupid line at the café to get this, Raven! Get your own damn cinnamon roll!"

"Aw, c'mon!" Raven's tone was pleading, and Sean shook his head furiously. Raven paused for a moment, and then smirked mischeviously, and in a flurry, there was suddenly a beautiful brunette standing there. Stark naked.

Every male present chocked at the sight, and Raven took the few seconds in which Sean was stuck staring to snag a big piece of his pastry. After doing so, she reverted back into her blue form, happily digging into her prize, and Sean's yell of fury filled the room.

"H-Hey! No fair!"

Alex was blushing furiously, and Hank was rolling his eyes, trying not to laugh. Erik and Charles's eyes met, and Erik shrugged, grinning widely, while Charles ran a hand through his hair, thoroughly embarrassed at the actions of his foster sister.

Moira looked nervous and out of place, and Charles motioned for her to come closer. He knew that he had to do, but he knew that it wasn't something to do in front of the rest of the team. Erik seemed to sense his need for privacy, because he stood and demanded that the rest of the mutants get out. They complained, but consented after a few moments. Erik followed them out, closing the door behind him.

She was so beautiful, Charles mused. Sweet smile, shiny brown hair, tanned skin. Her hands were touching his arm as if afraid that she would break him, and he could tell from her thoughts – he wasn't reading them, but he could sense the tone of her overall mindset when physical contact was made – that she felt responsible for his injury. He shook his head, touching her hand with a smile.

"It isn't your fault."

Moira nodded, sinking into the chair beside his bed. "So what happens now?"

Charles sighed. "Well, using the program Hank invented, we'll begin tracking down mutants and bring them to our facility, where they will learn to control and properly harness their abilities. It will be a school of sorts. A school for the gifted."

"And what about Raven and the rest? They're not really students anymore, are they?"

"No…they'll be the teachers, I suppose. We'll always have things to learn, even after all this."

Moira laughed. "You and your 'X-Men'?" she teased, and Charles laughed with her as he slid both of his hands on top of hers. Her skin was warm and soft, and Charles regretted even more what he soon had to do.

"The main goal will to provide a place where mutants can be safe…where no one can find and hurt them for what they are," he said seriously, staring into her eyes. The intensity was drawing them closer, and her eyes closed as she whispered.

"I'll never tell, Charles."

"I know you wont," Charles murmured sadly as their lips met, and he let himself savor the warmth of her kiss for several timeless seconds before silently putting his free hand to his temple, focusing his power and delving into her memory.

It pained him, but he steeled himself, and wiped her mind clean of every single mutant-related incident that she had ever witnessed. He erased her memory of him, her mutual feelings of romantic attachment, and then moved on to the other mutants. She had never seen any of their faces, and if asked about mutant related incidents, she would only have glimpses of trees and of a deep blue sky.

As one act of selfishness, he left one piece of her memory of their time together intact.

A single, nameless kiss would be all she remembered of Charles Xavier.

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><p>Two full weeks passed before Charles was cleared from the hospital. After thanking his nurses and doctor, he was wheeled out of the hospital, where Erik and Raven were waiting with the car. There was a bit of an awkward moment when Charles tried to get into the car without assistance, but finally Erik and Raven understood, and they both supported him and helped him get into the backseat. The wheelchair was folded up and stuffed into the trunk.<p>

The doctor assured the young man that with physical therapy, he would have full use of his legs within six months at the earliest. He was bound to the chair for the first four months, and the two remaining months would be spent undergoing weekly physical therapy as his muscles adjusted to walking after so long.

Charles leaned against the side of the door, sighing as the wind blew against his face as he watched the city pass them by. His house was deep into the countryside, far from civilization, a perfect location for a mutant facility. Students with loud or otherwise destructive powers could learn to control them without fear of attracting the attention of humans.

Raven was happily chatting away, and Charles made an effort to listen.

"You're gonna love it, Charles! Erik and Hank are thinking of expanding the house so they can put Cerebro underground, and build on the house so its big enough for more people. Alex has some ideas about a gym sort of thing so the kids can still play sports and be active, and Sean and me are already planning an outside training course so that they can practice abilities! And who knows, we'll probably have even more ideas as time goes on! Just yesterday-"

Charles smiled to himself, closing his eyes and listening to her ramble on as Erik turned up the music. The music – soft and lilting – clashed with Raven's fast and insistent speech, and Charles let the two meld together into a pleasant middle ground.

There would be time and opportunities to appreciate both, and that made Charles Xavier happier than anything.


	2. Chapter 2: Diving In

Hey everyone!

I know, I KNOW! I said no updates till August...but...MEH! My work has a computer, and on my time off I can come in here and type away! I'm only able to do it two or three times every 2 weeks, but it's enough!

If there are any format issues...please dont complain. Be grateful that I'm even able to UPDATE!

I'm also sorry it's so short...not much I can do there.

ALSO!

All the OC mutants I'm writing are based on REAL people! Heck, I'M even in there somewhere! The names are obviously changed, but the personalities are as accurate as I can physically make them! So enjoy!

**_PLEASE REVIEW! Is it good so far? Realistic enough...engaging? Mildly entertaining?  
><em>**

=D

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><p>Chapter 2: Diving In<p>

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><p>The thunder cracked overhead, seeming to shake the ground and fill the air with underlying tension. The clouds roiled and boiled together in ceaseless harmony as the water poured down in icy torrents, coating the city of Malibu in a watery sheet of rain. The streets were practically empty save for two figures - one was seated in a wheelchair, while the other pushed the contraption along. These two did not pause to revel in Nature's glory, instead bowing their heads against the sheets of water and continuing onward with a definite air of purpose. The trees grew healthily on either side of the road, for the two figures were no longer in the small circlet of shops that resided parallel to the long-stretching beach.<p>

It was winter in Malibu, California, and yet the rain was refreshing and neutral as opposed to the harsh biting hail and snow that the two European men were accustomed to. The trees were thick and green, littering the road below with their small yellow-cream blossoms. The young man in the wheelchair frowned as he reached down to gently pick one of the freshly fallen flowers off of the cement.

"Such strange weather they have here...wouldn't you agree?" Charles Xavier murmured, twirling the flower - its petals were dusted with glimmering water droplets - in his bare fingers. The tall man behind him scoffed, dark gray-blue eyes flickering around in scorn.

"The target wont last one day back at base..." Erik Lensherr commented dryly, and Charles scowled at his companion.

"Have a little more faith please, Erik."

Erik didn't answer, and the young telepath rolled his eyes before focusing once more through the shimmery silver rain that created a dim haze over everything. They were approaching the first lines of houses now, and he quickly referred to the small sheet that held the target's address. His bright blue eyes narrowed, and his gaze rested on the numbers marking the first house.

"Her house number is 57, so it'll be on the right," Charles spoke clearly, and Erik grunted to let his friend know that his statement was heard. The minutes ticked by in silence, and Erik grumbled as he pulled the back of his raincoat up higher, as a small trickle of water had found its way down the back of his neck and into his shirt.

Charles refused to let his nervousness show - it was their first recruitment since the momentous battle on the beach nearly a month ago - and instead straightened his hat on his head as Erik slowed to a stop in front of a small, brown-white colored house. Two faded black numbers confirmed that the house was indeed the house they were looking for, and Charles took in the feel of it. The area was clean and well-kept, with large spiky bushes growing along the small path that led up to the door, and small roses crawling up the wooden porch. Soft light shone through the windows, and Charles saw shapes passing in front of the wide window. His stomach tightened, but he did not protest when Erik began wheeling him up the path.

Charles wondered what the girl's power would be. Cerebro was still in the beginning stages, and as a result nothing could be gained on the mutant in question but their location and appearance. How would he and Erik manage to reveal her ability? Did her parents know? It was highly unlikely, mutants were still rare and isolated, and he highly doubted that a girl who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen would be keen on making her power a well-known fact.

Charles had been surprised at how much the girl resembled Raven in her former favorite blonde appearance, and that had been partially why Charles had been so keen to start with this particular target.

Erik carefully used his ability to lift Charles's metal wheelchair over the precarious wooden steps, careful to loudly step on the stairs to alert the family of their presence. The voices - which had been slightly audible before the beginning of their assent - stopped suddenly, and Erik slowly locked gazes with Charles in the few seconds they had before one of them was forced to knock.

Charles had no doubt that Erik was perfectly capable of getting the girl on their side. He had a persuasive charm to his appearance that invited people in...but Charles still held back. The telepath also knew that Erik was still struggling to amend his thought concerning regular humans, and so Charles spoke quietly just before politely knocking on the door.

"Let me do the talking, alright?" he said, and before Erik could agree or argue, knocked firmly on the painted white door. There was a moment of silence, then the sound of footsteps approaching the two of them could be heard.

The door opened slowly to reveal a boy - he couldn't have been more than twelve years old - with large blue eyes and curly brown-blonde hair. His face crumpled in confusion at the appearance of two young men at the doorway, and Charles spoke as kindly as possible.

"Hello young man, are your parents home?"

The boy shook his head. Erik gave Charles an exasperated glance at the boy's lack of information, but Charles shook his head and continued, smiling warmly at the boy.

"Is there someone else we could talk to?"

The boy nodded, and before he could speak, the teenage mutant from Cerebro appeared at the door, her face hardened with wariness as she protectively stepped in front of her brother. Erik smiled widely, and the girl's voice was forced in its politeness as a result.

"May I help you?"

The girl was obviously dressed for bed, as she was in a loose fitting shirt that reached mid-thigh, under which a pair of flannel shorts were barely visible. Her dark blonde hair - it had been long in Charles's flash of her in Cerebro a few months ago - went to her shoulders in wavy layers, and her eyes were a bright green-blue in color. Charles smiled at her, and she crossed her arms over her chest, turning to speak to her brother.

"Are you ready to go to Gabe's, Sean?" she asked, and Sean responded affirmatively, his large blue eyes flickering toward the two mutants at the door. The girl sighed, and handed the boy his overnight backpack, watching carefully as Sean carefully skirted Charles and Erik, running off down the street - inevitably toward his friend's house. Then she turned to face the mutants once more, her eyes more openly hostile now.

Charles refrained from entering her mind, content to let her think whatever she wanted about himself and Erik without fear of being caught. He didn't blame her for her distrust. In their old-fashioned hats and large cloaks, there was no doubt that they made a rather unusual and intimidating impression.

The telepath smiled, holding out a hand as he said, "Hello, my name is Charles Xavier, and this is my colleague Erik Lensherr."

The girl flicked her hair over her shoulder, and hesitantly held out a hand to shake it with Charles. Her hand was small for someone of her height, and Charles felt a stab of remorse for the frightened tenseness in her grip. The poor child...she probably was under the impression that Charles and Erik were kidnappers or burglars. Not that that wasn't an illogical conclusion on her part.

"Hi...I'm Caitlyn Post. My parents are at work; they should be back any minute, if you want to wait," she said curtly, and the lie was clear in her eyes. Charles quickly snapped a shot of her thoughts, too brief to get a read on her emotions, but enough to find the truth.

Mom and Dad aren't gonna be back for at least two hours...shit shit shit!

Charles relaxed, and leaned forward slightly. "Caitlyn, may we please come in?"

Caitlyn's face paled, and she reached for the metal door handle. Erik rolled his eyes, and suddenly the handle was gone. Caitlyn did not scream, for which Charles was thankful, but her mouth dropped as she watched the handle float in mid-air a few feet from her still outstretched hand. Erik held out a hand, and the metal piece slowly drifted into his waiting fingers. He examined the handle, and cocked his head slightly to the side.

"Hm...I showed you mine, so how about you show me yours, sweetheart?"

Caitlyn's face slowly shifted. At first, it was panic. Then, it slowly melded into shock, and wary understanding. She silently held open the door for them to enter, and Charles nodded in thanks as Erik wheeled him inside.

The house was relatively small, and the doorway led immediately into the living room, where there were several leather armchairs facing a long blanket-covered couch. Caitlyn sat down rather rudely, not even bothering to make sure the two men were seated, but Charles brushed it off as a result of just witnessing a man levitate a doorknob. He wheeled himself so he was facing Caitlyn, and Erik casually seated himself on the long couch.

There was a moment of tense silence, and then Caitlyn cleared her throat. "So...you two are..."

"The preferred term is mutants; and yes, we are mutants. So are you. There is nothing to fear. My companion and I are just here to help you," Charles assured Caitlyn gently, and she bit her lip. The girl's eyes flickered toward Erik and then back to Charles, and the thought that passed through her mind was so blatant that Charles could not block it, and sharply responded.

"No, Erik and I are not homosexual in any way. So lay your suspicions to rest."

Erik's brow rose, and a amused snort escaped him as he crossed his legs. "You obviously haven't seen many homosexuals, sweetheart, if you assume that of Charles and I after only...five minutes or so." The metal-wielding man saw how her brow furrowed angrily at the pet-name. "Sorry, I always give names to little girls..."

"I'm seventeen!" she practically growled, and Erik laughed.

"As I was saying, little girls-"

Charles waved a hand to stop the senseless argument, and Caitlyn reluctantly focused her attention back onto the telepath. Erik smirked, settling back into the cushions. Charles rested his elbows on his knees, and smiled slightly.

"Anyway, we're here to offer you a place at our institute. It's an academy of sorts, where you will be taught alongside other mutants, and where you will learn to harness your ability. We're still in the beginning stages, but we assure you that you will be safe and cared for, and your parents will only have to pay a minimal fee to send you for the entire year."

Caitlyn frowned. "Wait...so you just want me to pack up and go? I have friends here, I have family! Why should I-"

Erik interrupted, "Because there are many people who feel that mutants should be used as weapons, that they're somehow less than human. If you stay here, you will be found out. There will be a time - no matter how careful you are - that you will need to use your power to help someone you love...and then all will be lost. They _will_ find you, Caitlyn. That much I can promise."

Charles noted the pain in Erik's eyes, and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. The memory came rushing in, before Charles - he was still trying to perfect his mental shields - could block it out.

* * *

><p><em>Erik watched in horror as he was separated from his father and mother, being pushed along by the crowd, the rain pouring down and filling his eyes along with his tears. The gates closed with a chilling clang, and Erik began to run back, dodging the arms of the Nazis.<em>

_"ERIK!"_

_The guards were holding him back now, trying to pull him away, but he fought and kicked with all of his strength. His mother was crying his name over and over again, her face pale and ashen as she tried to reach him. His father called, but the roar of the blood in Erik's ears overpowered everything else._

_"MAMA!"_

_There was a need inside him, a deep pull as he stretched out his hand, trying, reaching, _pleading_-_

_The metal was quivering with hesitant purpose, but Erik didn't notice, focused solely on his crying parents. No, no, no, they had to come back, he had to reach them somehow, _he had to bring them back_-_

_The gates suddenly bent toward Erik with a jarring wrench, and the butt of a gun was the last thing Erik saw before everything went black._

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><p>Charles opened his eyes, and noticed that Caitlyn was just finishing a sentence.<p>

"-are others like me? Really?" Erik nodded, and her eyes were soft as she stared at her hands. "My parents don't know...they wouldn't have to...would they?"

"Only as much as you're willing to tell them," Charles said, and Caitlyn frowned, staring out the window at the rainy sky. The thunder boomed, sending the house lights flickering slightly before they settled back to their usual brightness. Erik gave Charles a look before asking loudly.

"So what can you do, other than look pretty?"

Caitlyn fumed, but smirked as she put her chin in her palm, fixing Erik with a deadpan stare.

"I...I'm fast."

Charles knew in that moment that they had won this particular battle, and his grin was almost too large to contain.

One down. Only a few dozen more to go.

And this was only the beginning.


	3. Chapter 3: First Impressions

Hello all!

Sorry for the long update, hope this makes up for it!

How're the characters coming along? Remember, that all of the OC appearances and personalities are based on real people (to the best of my ability) as well as their ideals and appearances. So Josh, Jake, Jordan and Caitlyn are all people I know. Everything except for their names is exactly how I view them.

Any questions? ENJOY!

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**

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><p>Chapter 3: First Impressions<p>

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><p>By the end of the week, Charles and Erik had managed to convince four mutants to attend the new institute – they had decided to call it the <em>Institute for Gifted Youngsters <em>– and Raven wasn't sure if she should feel terribly excited or terribly nervous. She was thrilled that her family was staying together, but the prospect of teaching and guiding these young mutants was incredibly daunting. She was only twenty-three years old, for crying out loud! How was she expected to know _anything _about teaching?

The sun was hot and stifling, and Raven found that it was all that she could do not to run back inside. Her hands fiddled endlessly with her white tank top, and she took a moment to examine her neon-green painted fingernails. They were so obnoxious against the deep cobalt of her skin…maybe she should've listened to Charles, and put on some _sensible _nail polish. The kids might not take her _seriously_–

"Raven!" a voice yelled, breaking her doubtful stream of thought and pulling her attention to the opposite side of the driveway. The girl squinted, putting a hand above her eyes in order to see the speaker more clearly. Sean was running toward her, his thick reddish-brown hair bouncing on his head as he went. In his hand was a bag that Raven assumed held his customary morning chocolate croissant. How that kid ate so much and yet stayed so thin was a mystery that seemed determined to remain unsolved. Sean stopped beside the cobalt-skinned mutant, and gave her a lazy hug with his free arm.

"I just saw the car coming up, they should be here in a few," he said excitedly, and Raven nodded curtly, rubbing her arms as if to ward off a sudden chill. Sean didn't miss the action, and gave her a comforting squeeze, moving his chin so that it rested on her head. It was a sign of affection that Sean was accustomed to giving to his close female friends, since he was so damn tall that he towered over most of the women in base. It had taken Raven some time to get used to this strange show of friendship, but now she was grateful for it, and let out a breath of anxiety.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she chanted under her breath, and as if to test that theory, the car chose that moment to round the corner and appear in the small circular driveway that stood in front of the mansion. The windows were tinted, hiding its passengers from sight, and Sean beamed as he stepped away from Raven, waving cheekily before darting into the house; leaving Raven alone to her fate of greeting the new students. She glared at his back, and then remembered that the kids could probably see her through the windows. So she put a smile on her face – a smile that felt incredibly forced, but unfortunately it was all she could muster – and put her hands forward, folding her fingers together as she did so.

She could do this. They were just teenagers…right?

The door opened, and the first mutant slid out of the car. He looked to be around eighteen years old, and he was broad-shouldered and muscular, wearing a full-body camouflage outfit and sporting extremely short black hair. His face was hard and stern, with the beginnings of a moustache and beard. His eyes snapped to Raven, and he marched up to her, holding out his hand like an army sergeant.

"Hello ma'am, my name is Josh Strickland. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," the boy stated coldly, his face stoic and unmoving as he spoke.

Raven wasn't sure whether to salute or to laugh. So, torn, she decided to shake his hand in return. "Hi Josh…I'm Raven Darkhölme." The boy's hand was like iron, and she was glad to let go of the appendage after a painful ten seconds of vigorous shaking.

Josh nodded, and marched past her into the house after getting his two enormous duffel bags out of the trunk. While he did so, the rest of the mutants exited the limousine. In the lead was a tall slender brunette in her early twenties, with straight brown hair and a rather sharp and pointed face. Behind her was an athletic blonde – Raven guessed her to be seventeen or eighteen – with bright green-blue eyes and tan skin. Lastly, a young boy with short brown hair and a small smile exited the vehicle. The two girls looked up at the mansion with varying degrees of wariness, while the young boy – shockingly – seemed perfectly at ease, his dark eyes lazing over his two companions before returning to their consideration of the institute. The brunette was the first to get over her awe, and strutted up to Raven with a wide smile of happiness. Raven smiled automatically, and shook the girl's hand.

"Welcome," Raven addressed all of them, and the brunette answered with a blinding smile. Raven could feel the eyes of the blonde and younger boy on her, and knew they were rather shocked at her appearance. Raven had had enough experience with stares to learn how to tune them out.

"Hi, I'm Jordan O'Hara, and I'm so so _so _excited to finally be here! I'm a senior in college…or at least, I _was_," she said, laughing breathily as she finished. Raven nodded, and Jordan glanced at Raven once more, some of her confusion and shock showing through. Then, Jordan smiled again, and moved to get her numerous large bags. Raven shrugged, unsure of what to think of the girl. She seemed nice enough, if a little dramatic. The blonde girl smiled, moving forward to shake Raven's hand. Her grip was firm and warm, and Raven met the girl's even gaze.

"I'm Caitlyn Post. What's your name?"

"I'm Raven Darkhölme," Raven introduced, smiling at the girl. Caitlyn smiled automatically, and then shook her head, stepping back.

"I'm so sorry, but…I couldn't help but stare. You're the first mutant I've met who doesn't look…"

"Normal?" Raven supplied dryly, and was surprised to see Caitlyn earnestly shake her head, but not in the way that most people shook their heads to dismiss an initial idea, but in the way of someone who honestly disagreed.

"No, not normal. Just…not what I'm used to. Mr. Xavier told me that you were a shapeshifter…is this your natural form?"

Raven tucked a strand of glossy red hair behind her ear, her golden eyes studying the blonde carefully. "Yeah, this is me."

Caitlyn saw the distrust in Raven's eyes, and held up her hands pleadingly. "Please, don't be offended…I wasn't trying to put you on the spot. I'm just…extremely blunt when it comes to mutant stuff. I don't want any gray areas, y'know? This is all so new to me, and I just want to _understand _everything…"

The girl looked so honest and contrite that Raven's irritation practically dissipated after a few seconds. The cobalt-skinned young woman sighed, and nodded. "Yeah, it's okay. I get it a lot, so don't take it personally if I seem a little short when it comes to comments on my appearance."

Caitlyn nodded, and moved to get her things. As she did so, Raven turned her attention to the last mutant. He was patiently watching Caitlyn drag her suitcases up the drive, and seemed torn between helping her and introducing himself. Raven smiled, and moved forward.

"Welcome…what is your name?"

"Jake Leary." Raven frowned. The boy's voice was high and sweet, but there was wisdom behind his tone that made her look twice. The boy smiled toothily, warming a bit of Raven's heart and making her forget her wariness. He was so cute! It just made Raven want to–

"You can hug me, if you want," the boy said peaceably, and Raven's eyes widened. She knelt down so she was eye to eye with him, and frowned.

"Are you a telepath?" she asked, and Jake shook his head.

"No…I can feel what people are thinking. You were having really motherly and happy feelings…and so I just assumed…" he trailed off, shrugging. Raven stared at the boy, and she reached out instinctively to hug him. She was good at reading faces, and she immediately knew that this boy felt no fear or revulsion from her appearance. Jake folded into her arms, quickly and without hesitation, and Raven felt warmth flowing from him, a loving care that she scooped up gratefully.

There was no awkwardness when they separated a few minutes later, and Raven flushed as she realized that she hadn't even introduced herself. Jake smiled knowingly, and held out his hand. Raven grinned, and took it.

"I'm Raven."

"Nice to meet you, Raven."

Raven glanced back at the house, where she heard the rest of her team introducing themselves. She glanced back at Jake, who was smiling at her, his eyes warm and happy.

"Shall we go?" Raven suggested, and Jake's grin of excitement was answer enough.

* * *

><p>Hank stood in the empty hall, staring at the four chairs that waited to be filled by the new students of the Institute. Raven wasn't there to encourage him, and her absence left the young man feeling a little lost. He caught sight of his furry appearance in the window, and a snarl left him. He clenched his hands into fists – <em>I have claws<em>, he thought with a swell of disgust – as he sat down on the edge of the desk with a huff of frustration.

It had been so difficult to accept the consequences of his defective serum.

He was a man of science; before this point in his life, nearly everything had an antidote. There was always ways to reverse affects on living things…or so he had thought. Now, because of his foolishness insecurity, he was covered in fur and had to resist the new animalistic urges that came over him. Sometimes, he just wanted to run and use these new fangs of his to just…_kill_–

He gripped the wood between his fingers so tightly that it began to creak, and at the sound Hank immediately loosened his hold. The air whooshed as the mutant hurriedly sucked a calming breath into his lungs. It did nothing to calm his mind, but the gust of smoky fragrance – there was incense burning on the desk beside him – brought his body back to normal levels of function. His shoulders relaxed, and golden eyes glared accusingly at his reflection in the window.

None of them understood. Not Erik, not Charles…not even Alex and Sean, both of which had become like brothers to him over the past few months here at base. Only Raven had a chance of understanding, and if not for her…Hank probably wouldn't have had the courage to show his face every day. She wasn't beautiful to him in her natural form, but in a way, she was more _herself_. Hank looked into her golden eyes – a few shades darker than his own – and saw _Raven_, not a beautiful blonde who he had trouble breathing properly around.

The mutant sighed, adjusting his glasses on his face before looking down at the four names that stood out on the clipboard. There was one good thing about having other mutants around…the possibility of studying their DNA and learning more about this strain that made them mutants. Hank had always been fascinated with genetics, and so the opportunity to study different subjects was especially exciting. He didn't expect to actually teach any classes, as he had made clear to both Erik and Charles.

Perhaps when they arrived, he could–

The door opened, and Hank's eyes snapped to the entrance of the room.

A piercing scream filled the air, chilling him to the bone and banishing all of the calm the scent of incense had left him with.

* * *

><p>Erik growled under his breath as he gently lowered the unconscious brunette to the ground, careful not the bump her head on the chairs that were placed on either side. Alex and Sean were reassuring and comforting the other three mutant teens; they thankfully hadn't reacted quite as badly to the sudden appearance of Hank.<p>

Hank had run from the room, and with a small sigh of sadness Raven had followed. Erik didn't approve of her coddling, but decided not to press the issue at present. He was already irritated at her for not warning the new students of the other mutant in base who had similar coloring to her own. Was she blind to their obvious age? It was impossible to expect complete acceptance and understanding from children…

Charles was rubbing his temples tenderly, his powers having reacted rather badly to the chaos that had been Jordan's thoughts until her panic had resulted in her mind shutting down. Erik hoped to meet his friend's eye, but the telepath was too focused on the other mutants to prove helpful. Erik turned away, and observed the students in question.

Caitlyn was nursing a bad bruise to the head, at which Erik couldn't help but smirk. It seemed that Caitlyn had a bad habit of jumping rather horribly at being surprised with loud noises. So at the sound of Jordan's scream, she had emitted a little yelp of surprise, her body jerking and sending her back first to the floor. Unfortunately, the wall had been in the way of her descent, and…the rest had followed accordingly.

Josh and Jake were still rather pale, but they were otherwise unharmed. Josh was an interesting young fellow, and Erik enjoyed the prospect of getting under the mutant's skin in the future. Jake, on the other hand…Erik didn't know what to make of him. The child was obviously very young, almost too young for this kind of education. It made Erik wonder what exactly had occurred that night in the foster home of Jake Leary.

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><p><em> A little boy sat in the chair, looking very small and very alone in the drabness of the orphanage living room. The orphanage mistress was very curt when they asked to see one of her charges, but with some persuading she finally allowed them to come inside. The mutant was dressed in a plain black shirt and jeans, looking thin but otherwise well-cared for. A small smile was on his face, but even Erik could see the distrust lingering just below the surface of his dark brown eyes. <em>

_ "My name is Jake Leary. I've always wondered if there were others like me…"_

_ Charles was staring at the boy so intently that Erik was tempted to wave his hand in front of the telepath's eyes in order to determine if Charles's mind was indeed focused on the boy before him. The boy looked back at Charles briefly, and his face did not change, the smile instead growing slightly. His eyes locked on Erik, and the metal-wielder felt a jolt of unease rush through him. But when the boy spoke, he spoke to Charles._

_ "There's no need to feel so confused, Mr. Xavier. I am what I am; my ability is something I've come to terms with," he said placidly, and Erik's eyes narrowed at the wisdom behind his voice. This boy, he seemed so old, so tired…and yet he spoke from the body of a twelve-year-old. It puzzled Erik to no end, and the man was about to ask what exactly this ability was when Charles spoke into the silence. _

_ "Erik…please wait for me in the car." _

_ Erik's temper flared, and he was about to argue when Charles's voice projected into his mind. _

Erik, this isn't personal. I've seen…things in this child's mind that I need to address. Please, please let me preserve his privacy somewhat.

_The mutant glared at his mind-reading companion, and with a small sigh of annoyance, got to his feet. Charles didn't shift his gaze from the boy before him, and Jake's eyes narrowed slightly in response. Erik glanced behind him before he closed the door, and saw Charles lean forward, and the smile slide off of Jake's face. _

_Then the door closed with a quiet click. _

* * *

><p>Erik frowned. Since that day, no one had yet been informed of what the boy could do. Charles, whenever asked, evaded the issue somehow, and Erik was close to cornering the kid and asking plain out what he could do. But something held him back, and part of Erik was ashamed that he was cowering like a puppy in the face of curiosity.<p>

Alex was laughing at something Caitlyn said, helping her adjust her icepack against her head. Erik rolled his eyes at the blush that coated her cheeks at the feel of Alex's hand against her forehead, and snickered silently at Sean's angry face – the boy's face blotched red when he was furious. The supersonic teenager was being forced to listen to Josh's ranting about the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

"—completely unprofessional! I mean, honestly, the pause between 'One nation' and 'under God' is undermining the religious emphasis. In order for us to indeed be 'one nation under God', we need the public to understand that the pause does nothing but separate religion and politics. But in fact, religion and politics are one and the same. In fact, I was just studying–"

Erik was glad to be distracted from the heinous lecture as the sound of a groan reached his ears, and quickly focused his attention on the stirring Jordan. The room went silent as the girl opened her eyes, and stared in confusion at the group of people above her.

"Where am I? Oh…I feel so faint…" she swooned, holding a hand to her head.

"Can someone smack her, please?" Sean hissed, and Alex and Caitlyn laughed at the vehemence in his tone. Jake merely smiled, and knelt beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder in friendly comfort.

Erik grinned at Sean, folding his arms across his chest as he spoke. "Not today, kid. Might as well let her get her bearings before we start exchanging blows."

Charles sighed in exasperation, but Erik could not help but notice that he had not spoken out against the notion.


	4. Chapter 4: Please Forgive Me

Hellooooo!

I got a comment that I kinda rushed through the OC characters last chapter, and for that I'm sorry. I was just trying to give you guys the characters straight up, a few glimpses of their characters before I went into more depth. If you guys have any qualms or questions concerning characters, feel free to let me know!

I hope you guys like it!

Want more?

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

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><p>Chapter 4: Please Forgive Me<p>

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><p>Jordan O'Hara flipped her hair over her shoulder, pushing the door open with her shoulder, as her hands were full with her numerous suitcases. Honestly, how big was this place, anyway? Her arms ached at the memory of lugging her bags up all those flights of stairs, and she shuddered to think of how much the mansion cost to keep running. The twenty-year-old assumed – she was too nervous to ask – that Mr. Xavier was some kind of millionaire, and wondered what it was that he did that allowed for such a hefty fortune.<p>

Brown eyes flicked upwards, locking on the only other occupant of the room. There were two medium sized beds in the room, and by the one nearest to the window stood the other girl – _Caitlyn_, Jordan remembered the name as she stared at the young woman. Caitlyn was staring out the window, her face seemingly lost in thought as the breeze blew in through her hair. Jordan cleared her throat to dislodge the uncomfortable dryness in her chest, and Caitlyn jumped horribly at the sound. What a silly thing to be scared of…it was _just _a cough.

Jordan guessed that the girl before her was still quite young…in late high school, perhaps? The older girls hands tightened before she could help herself; jealousy was pulsing just under her thoughts, tempting her to be nasty. Jordan knew that she herself was decently attractive, but in the face of this new girl – who seemed to exemplify the typical California beauty: tall, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and tan skin – she felt her self-confidence dwindle just slightly. But she put on her good face, and smiled brightly at the blonde before moving to stand by the other bed.

Caitlyn hesitated, obviously uncomfortable with the silence that stretched between them, and moved to stand at the head of Jordan's bed.

"So…what do you think of all of this?" she whispered, as if afraid that someone was listening at the door. The door that was, now that Jordan paused to glance, wide-open. The brunette moved to close it, her leg muscles automatically flexing to twirl herself as she went. She loved ballet, and had taken classes for the past five years…determined to become skilled, rather than using her ability to simply mimic a professional.

"What do you mean?" Jordan responded from her position at the door, closing it with a crisp snap. Caitlyn cocked a hip, putting a small hand on it – Jordan had to forcibly fold her hands together to keep herself from mimicking the movement exactly – and giving Jordan a slightly exasperated look. Jordan raised her eyebrows in challenge, and Caitlyn threw up her hands.

"All of _this_!" the girl practically shrieked, gesturing to Jordan and to herself, and then to the room around them. "Mr. Xavier, Mr. Lensherr, the others…they're all like us, the first ones I've ever met. Aren't you at least a bit surprised that we, of all the mutants in the world – assuming that there are others like us – were chosen to come to this academy?"

Jordan sighed, leaning against the post. This girl was indeed young, and rather immature. It was clear that Jordan was going to have to treat this girl a little differently than expected. "Of course I'm surprised. But just because I'm excited doesn't mean that I'm going to freak out. We were obviously chosen for specific reasons, but I don't really care _why _they did what they did…all I want to do now is enjoy my time here."

Caitlyn frowned, but for some reason decided to not press. Her eyes lowered to her feet, and Jordan noticed that her legs – toned and long – were shaking slightly. Jordan's brow furrowed in worry, and she moved to peer into the girl's face.

"Hey, are you okay? Your legs are shaking–"

Caitlyn gave a shaky laugh, and forced her feet to stay still. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I've always been kinda twitchy. It's always worse when I'm nervous."

Jordan nodded, and searched for a topic that would distract the girl from her woe, glad to be off of the subject of doubting the mutants who brought them here. "So...you play any sports?" The blonde smiled wryly at that, as if enjoying a private joke with herself. Jordan frowned. "What's so funny?"

"I don't play sports."

"What? I totally thought you were a soccer player or something…you're so in shape!"

Caitlyn's smile widened, and Jordan was starting to get irritated. "What is so _funny_?" she demanded, and the blonde shook her head, turning away to start unpacking.

"Don't worry about it…it's nothing."

Jordan sighed, and shrugged in defeat. Then, suddenly, Caitlyn whipped around, her eyes bright.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe that I didn't ask! What can _you _do, Jordan?" she asked, moving carefully to perch herself on the wooden post of her bed. Jordan blinked, shocked to see the sudden change to Caitlyn's nervous persona. This girl sure was full of surprises…

Jordan glanced at Caitlyn warily before standing and cracking her back leisurely. "I can do whatever I see. Say something, and I can say it back perfectly. Do something…and I can do it."

Caitlyn frowned, and then said, "Okay…um…My name is Caitlyn, and I love puppies."

Jordan felt her vocal chords shifting in response to the words, and let them spill forth. "My name is Caitlyn, and I love puppies." The words were in Caitlyn's voice, which sounded strange to Jordan's ears, but it wasn't something that she couldn't handle. Jordan wasn't about to publicize this, but now that she had mimicked Caitlyn's voice, her mind mentally clocked how to shift her voice, so if she ever needed to speak in Caitlyn's voice in the future…she would have that power at her disposal.

Her memory was flawless; even now, as a young adult, Jordan could perfectly recall and mimic her older brother, who had been kidnapped when she was only three years of age. She could remember the first time she discovered her power. When she was ten years old, she had been alone in her room, listening to a song on radio. She had been so entranced by the idea of singing that beautifully, and suddenly…she heard the voice from the radio, only it was coming from her own mouth. The shock had made her stop, and she had turned off the radio in fear. But childish curiosity pushed at her, and in an instant, she was singing once more, her voice perfectly executing both the words and the pitch.

It wasn't always a blessing. Jordan could remember every detail of every fight that she ever had. She remembered her parents in their fights before the divorce, every hateful word her mother screamed, every spiteful reminder her father supplied at the drop of a hat.

_"At least I wasn't a goddamn whore! Have you told your daughter yet, Claudine? Have you told her that for a little bit of high-school spending money, you used to spread your legs and–"_

At that point little six-year-old Jordan had covered her ears, and so the rest of her father's words hadn't been imprinted into her brain forever. Thank God for small miracles, or so she had thought. It had only taken puberty and the experience of middle school for Jordan to learn exactly what a whore was, and how cruel – and accurate – her father's description had been.

She could never forget anything. Ever.

The thought made her sad, but in order to distract her from that, Jordan set herself to learning – and memorizing – everything she could. She took all of the challenging classes and read dictionaries, atlases, and almanacs on a daily basis. She played soccer, softball, tennis, ice-hokey, karate, gymnastics, and finally ballet in order to occupy her mind thoroughly. Jordan was determined to show herself that her power wasn't a complete curse…it was a gift, it made her special, it made her better than everyone else.

Caitlyn was speaking to her, and Jordan put a false smile on her face in order to make it seem like she was listening.

"—right?"

Jordan stared, at a loss at what to say in response. Should she pretend that she knew that the question had been, or should she own up to her silent musing? Caitlyn was staring, waiting for an answer, and her brow was furrowing as the seconds ticked by.

Before Jordan could decide, the door opened, and the two girls turned to face the person responsible for the interruption.

* * *

><p>Alex, surprisingly, was the first one to find Hank. The entire team had split up to search, and Alex had wandered aimlessly, not expecting to find the scientist in the house. Raven was freaking out, not that Alex could blame her, and he was glad to be away from the worried anxiety that surrounded the girl when she was upset. Erik and Charles were calm, preferring to let the others search while the two of them continued to make the new students feel at home.<p>

The blonde didn't like the fact that those kids were here. How was Alex expected to help? He barely had a hold on his own power, how was he supposed to teach _others_ to control their own powers? Charles could be a real thoughtless ass sometimes, Alex mused irritably, hands deep in his pockets as he half-heartedly searched the tower that housed Cerebro. The metal mesh kept Alex suspended nearly thirty feet above the ground, and the young mutant sighed as he leaned against the railing, his green eyes searching the ground below.

It was then that he heard the piteous sobs of a familiar mutant. The sounds were coming from inside the tower, and Alex felt the beginning stabs of panic as he contemplated whether to pretend as if he had heard nothing. But then, just as he was about to retreat down the stairs, he heard Hank's crying stop suddenly.

Well shit. With those enhanced senses of his, the spectacled scientist would know that Alex was here. There was no way to get out of there now without seeming like a complete – not the mention heartless – asshole.

The blonde put on a brave face, and pushed open the door of the circular room. For a moment, Hank was invisible, and then Alex found him, crouched against the wall like a wounded animal and struggling to hide his face. The blonde felt both disgust and pity, and tried to clear the awkward silence as he moved closer to the mutant. He and Hank had never been close – there was an unspoken animosity between them that had existed before Hank's misled experiment and had grown even more noticeable after the fact – but as a member of the search team Alex felt obliged to offer some support.

"Hey, Hank," Alex muttered, leaning casually against the wall and trying not to let his irritation show. Hank glared, and turned his head away childishly. Alex felt his anger build – he never did like that snooty way Hank ignored him – but forced it back.

"Everyone's worried sick about you, y'know," Alex continued through gritted teeth, and Hank sent him a furious growl.

"Why are you even _here_?" he hissed, and Alex let out a barely contained sigh. The blonde crossed his arms over his chest, and the two of them stared at each other. Hank was unusually obstinate, and Alex was surprised to find that he was the first to look away.

"I'm had to look for you cuz you taking off got everyone in a fucking hissy fit."

"Just get out of here, pretty boy," Hank snarled, and Alex's eyes snapped back to the mutant, surprised at his hateful tone. "I don't know what little insults you have under your sleeve, but I really, really don't want to hear them right now."

Alex snorted. "God, you sound like a fifteen-year-old girl who's just been dumped by her boyfriend…" Hank's shoulders stiffened at that, and Alex glared as he crouched down so he was level with Hank.

"I don't know if you noticed, but you're covered in bright blue fur." Hank's eyes swam at the statement, and Alex ignored the impeding hysteria, instead plugging on ahead. "You went ahead and did that stupid experiment because you were too goddamn insecure to be happy with the way you were born. You were a coward, and you paid the price. Now _accept _it. Stop clouding up in rain every time someone comments on the way you look! People will react a lot better to it if you man up and _own_ it."

Hank stood so fast that Alex took an automatic step back. "Shut up, pretty boy! You talk like you know how it feels, but you have no _idea_ what its like to be a monster! You with your perfect smile and your perfect hair and your perfect fucking face! Oh I'm so sorry, you must feel so _humiliated _to have girls falling all over you! I give you my condolences!"

Alex was nowhere near as imposing as Hank was in his animalistic form, but the icy glare he gave Hank was enough to make the golden-eyed mutant's face blank in shock. Alex took a step forward, so they were but inches apart. The blonde's anger was slow and deep, and his eyes were narrowed into insulted slits.

"How dare you say that _I'm _perfect! You're fucking blue, so what? Your power is containable, you can control when you rip into someone and tear their head off! I…I've _killed _people! I've killed innocent…"

Alex felt his throat tightening in anguish, and angrily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Hank was frozen, staring down at the young man who seemed close to breaking down and crying. Alex knew that he looked like a pansy, but the thought just didn't compute, because Alex was tired of people assuming he was perfect _just_ because he was remarkably good-looking.

It had been like that even before he was arrested.

Alex was the popular kid at school, the one who always had a girl on his arm and the one who always smiled and made the first smart-ass comment to the substitute teacher. But that didn't mean he was without faults. He hated how when he did stupid stuff – like vandalize a teacher's car, or cruelly make fun of the nerdy girl in class – his high school peers didn't take it as seriously as they would someone else. They thought he was so cool that everything wrong just blew over their heads. It made Alex sick, and he hated it. How could they just assume that Alex didn't have crosses to bear like the rest of them.

That he often resorted to violence when he got angry, that he had the tendency to cry whenever something tragic happened in romantic movie…that he had the ability to shoot deadly red energy out of his body in a terrifying spiral of destruction.

Hank had crossed the final line in the blonde's self-control, and Alex felt his barriers crumbling as tears welled up in his eyes. Hank thought that _he _was the monster? God, what a pathetic fool Hank was. Oh what a stupid, ignorant fool.

Hank stood, frowning deeply at the sudden change in events. Alex turned sharply away from the other mutant, holding his arm against his mouth to stifle the racking sobs. Hank didn't move to comfort him, and for that Alex was grateful.

Alex spoke slowly, his voice cracking with the intensity of his guilt. "My little sister and I…we were kidnapped by these men. I don't know what they wanted, but I did catch that they were going to kill me when they stopped, because I was…too old to be of any use. We weren't the only ones, there were others in the van who had been kidnapped as well. They were all teenagers, girls my age. My sister and I were pushed out of the van, and the man walked up to me, lifting his gun to my head. I knew that if I didn't act then, I wouldn't be able to save my sister. I did the first thing that came to me…I used my power."

Alex grabbed his hair, looking almost deranged as he whispered. "I couldn't control it. It didn't just hit the man, it…it hit the van. I killed them, Hank. Ten innocent girls…gone just like that. It was only by sheer luck that I didn't hit my sister. I knew that I had killed them, and when the cops came and saw the van and the man dead on the floor…I took the blame without hesitation. I hated myself…I still hate myself for what I did."

"Alex, I–"

"No, Hank," Alex hissed, turning to face him. "I didn't tell you so I could have your friendship, or your pity. I told you so you would grow the fuck up and stop thinking that you're the only one with problems. I would trade places with you any day."

Alex gave Hank one last red-rimmed glare, and rubbed his face furiously, striding toward the door. He opened it, and both young men squinted at the bright sunlight. Alex turned to look back at Hank, and his expression was solemn.

"They really care about you, Hank. Raven, Charles…they all really care. Just thought you should know."

And Alex left without another word, shutting the heavy door behind him.


End file.
